In the film On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace we see the stunning work of Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso. He follows celebrated still-photographer Michael O'Neill on a trip through today's world of yoga. O'Neill, perhaps best known for his portraits of the famous and powerful, is a devoted practitioner. It is this devotion that drives him to record his striking images of the discipline. Veloso, in turn, delivers a fittingly beautiful film that also earns him one of the industry's most prestigious cinematography awards, The IMAGO International Award for Best Cinematography for Documentary Film. Veloso tells us about his experience working with O'Neill, director Heitor Dhalia, and the nimble ARRI AMIRA camera.
First of all, congratulations on winning the IMAGO documentary award. Can you tell us how the three of you came together for this project?
Thank you very much! Everything started a couple of years ago when Heitor met Michael on a beach during a New Year's Eve celebration. A few days later, Heitor called me asking if I'd be interested in shooting a documentary about a still photographer and yoga. I didn't hesitate at all. I promptly said yes. It was pure instinct because I had never shot a documentary before. And I didn't know Michael's work. But after I started looking at his amazing portfolio, I was sure this would be a fantastic opportunity to do something great, visually.
It must have been interesting working with a master like O'Neill. But what influence did he have on your images?
That was really interesting indeed. I sure learned a lot from him. We actually tried hard to distance our language from his. We wanted it to be as natural as possible and that the viewer could really sense when it was Michael's image on the screen. We wanted his images to really pop when they appeared, to create an impact on the viewer. It was actually easier to do then I had first imagined. His way of working is totally different from mine. He uses flashes and interacts a lot with the subject. I was trying the total opposite, to play only with available light and to not interfere much with the subjects and environment. It was actually really funny because in the beginning Michael, as the master he is, was really worried about the images we were capturing and was always asking things like are you sure you don't need more light here? I think he only relaxed a few weeks later after we showed him a selection of the images we had shot.
This film is indeed chock full of beautiful images. What kind of look were you after and how did it lend itself to the subject matter?
We thought a lot about how to shoot it. We were in love with the idea of making what we called moving stills. So, it was really intuitive to go for slow motion and extreme shallow depth of field. The purpose was to feel like it was a camera traveling though a picture, or the POV of a still camera trying to find the shot.
Copyright Adolpho Veloso
Full of beautiful images: On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace
How did you prepare for the challenges you would face, shooting in India for example?
Even though I had never shot a documentary before, I was somewhat used to a guerrilla style. So, I knew we needed to be light. One of the first decisions we made was to abandon the tripod. That thing can be heavier and more difficult to carry then all the rest! We put everything we had in one big bag. And that was it.
You often shot at high frame rates. You used Zeiss Super Speeds. But how did this influence your choice of camera?
As an ALEXA user 99% of the time, I was sure I didn't wanted to go with anything else but ARRI. So, the AMIRA was really an easy choice. 200 fps and fast lenses were essential for the look we were trying to get. Also, we couldn't risk bringing a camera that couldn't deal well with the extreme situations.
Were you operating alone? How did the ergonomics of the AMIRA help you?
Yes. I had one assistant that would help me with everything. But I was operating and pulling focus alone. For me the AMIRA is the digital camera with the best ergonomics, it perfectly fits the shoulder and has the perfect balance when you hold it from above for lower shots. Also, all the user buttons and the internal NDs were something that really saved us lots of time.
Copyright Adolpho Veloso
On the road for On Yoga (from left to right): Ducha Lopes, Heitor Dhalia, Michael O'Neill, Alexandre Bellelis, Adolpho Veloso, and James Weidner
Since completing this film you have again worked with Heitor Dhalia. Can you tell us what you are working on now?
We did a fiction feature based on a comic book called Tungsten. All set in Salvador, a city in the northeast of Brazil. Shot with the ALEXA Mini. And I just shot a Portuguese feature directed by Jo o Nuno Pinto called Mosquito, set in World War I in Mozambique. Also shot with the Mini. Right now I'm starting pre-production on an Argentinian feature directed by Felipe Gomez Apar cio called The Perfect David, which I'm hoping I can shoot with the Mini LF!
Related links:
www.adolphoveloso.com
www.instagram.com/adolphoveloso
Related Products AMIRA Go anywhere, shoot anything
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
21/08/2026
Hardware-style timing shifts for software instruments
Following on from the release of Omniclock, Rapid Flow have launched a new sequencer plug-in that can ...
21/08/2026
Highly anticipated synthesizer ships in October 2026
Iceland-based Love Synthesizers have announced that their highly anticipated synthesizer is now availab...
21/08/2026
Masterpiece PBS The Forsytes has expanded its cast as its begins production in ...
21/08/2026
The BBC has unveiled first-look pictures from The Witch Farm, a new ghost story and mystery set in the Welsh countryside, coming soon to BBC iPlayer and BBC One...
21/08/2026
The BBC and BritBox have revealed the first look of Edward Bluemel as Hercule Poirot in the forthcoming six-part series Hercule from Mammoth Screen and Agatha C...
21/08/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
21/08/2026
** MEDIA ALERT **
VIZ Media Takes Over Anime NYC with BLEACH, BLACK TORCH, M...
21/08/2026
Tell us a little bit about your job I'm a Marketing Manager and work across a mix of clients and projects. No two days are ever quite the same, which defini...
21/08/2026
Beat The Lotto dives into the plot behind the 1980s National Lottery scandal
24 August 2026 at 9:35pm on RT One and RT Player
Beat The Lotto is the story o...
21/08/2026
The countdown to the most wonderful night of the year has officially begun!
Host Patrick Kielty is gearing up for another unforgettable Late Late Toy Show nig...
21/08/2026
Meet puppet duo Bellie and Whizz, who are about to explore all the big feelings ...
20/08/2026
Set up your own private remote collaboration infrastructure
SoundBridge have recently put together a tutorial video that provides users with a step-by-step ...
20/08/2026
New V-Control Pro features restore basic functionality
Neyrinck's V-Control software has long been keeping older Avid control surfaces compatible with n...
20/08/2026
TV, BritBox and Mammoth Screen have announced that filming is now underway on th...
20/08/2026
Thursday 20 August 2026
Nina Sosanya, Rizzle Kicks, Roman Kemp and Paul Whiteho...
20/08/2026
Wuppertal August 20, 2026
Transformation Church Elevates Production Communicat...
20/08/2026
The music between the notes Coming together In the middle of 2026, as conversations around artificial intelligence continue to raise questions about how musi...
20/08/2026
Arvato Systems Brings Together Digital Transformation Leaders in the Manufacturi...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
Company launch with stereo-imaging tool
Panoramic is the debut release from Panorama Labs, a new company formed by mastering engineer Nicholas Di Lorenzo. C...
18/08/2026
Control software now available for older interfaces
Focusrite have just announced the launch of an update that extends Control 2 software support for their ...
18/08/2026
Tuesday 18 August 2026
Sky Sports and The Fast and the Curious announce new partnership
Sky Sports and The Fast and the Curious have announced a new long-term...
18/08/2026
Wuppertal August 18, 2026
Riedel Brings Professional Live Production Into the Classrooms of ECURiedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan Universi...
18/08/2026
Apple today announced changes to its business terms for apps in the European Uni...
18/08/2026
THE HEALY RAES: BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS AIRS WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19 ON RT ONE AT 9:35PM
A new documentary The Healy-Raes: Blood, Sweat & Tears airs on RT One and ...
18/08/2026
Stunning Irish performances at European Athletics and Swimming Championships rea...
18/08/2026
The two-part series begins Sunday 23 August at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player
...
17/08/2026
New MIDI processor & macro controller revealed
SHIK have announced that they have opened pre-orders for the S32, a standalone MIDI processor and macro contr...
17/08/2026
Cover extended on innovative motorised pot system
Melbourne Instruments have just revealed that the innovative motorised pot system used in their synths and...
17/08/2026
Latest firmware version now available
1010music have just released a free firmware update that brings some nice new features to their renowned Bluebox digit...
17/08/2026
Rohde & Schwarz showcases integrated defense and test solutions at DALO Industry...
17/08/2026
Calrec's ImPulseV Virtualised Audio Mixing Engine joins NEP Platform, the industry's largest ecosystem of trusted production software, bringing scalable...
17/08/2026
Visitors to IBC 2026 will see how FilmLight is reshaping the modern post pipelin...
17/08/2026
Visitors to Stand 1.C41 can explore innovations in areas such as addressable advertising, hybrid distribution, managed services and operational simplification.
...
16/08/2026
Virtual drummer joins line-up
The latest release from Gospel Musicians adds a virtual drummer to the company's line-up, combining a pair of meticulously...
15/08/2026
In-ear monitoring line-up gains new universal models
In-ear monitoring experts JH Audio have just announced a significant expansion of their Universal-Fit r...
14/08/2026
Latest instalment delivers disco-inspired grooves
The latest addition to UJAM's virtual drum line-up has been designed with contemporary pop, disco, dan...
14/08/2026
Elite range gains giant 24-inch powered sub
The latest expansion of Yorkville's Elite range introduces what the company say is the world's first act...
14/08/2026
Friday 14 August 2026
Breaking news! Sky releases trailer for The Paper, return...
14/08/2026
It's been one year since our client, Cotswolds Designer Outlet, opened its doors and we've loved seeing the scheme come to life. Together, we've hel...
In the film On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace we see the stunning work of Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso. He follows celebrated still-photographer Michael O'Neill on a trip through today's world of yoga. O'Neill, perhaps best known for his portraits of the famous and powerful, is a devoted practitioner. It is this devotion that drives him to record his striking images of the discipline. Veloso, in turn, delivers a fittingly beautiful film that also earns him one of the industry's most prestigious cinematography awards, The IMAGO International Award for Best Cinematography for Documentary Film. Veloso tells us about his experience working with O'Neill, director Heitor Dhalia, and the nimble ARRI AMIRA camera.
